<p>hey guys
I'm a standing soph at Brown and I'm thinking of concentrating in Comp Lit and Political Science. However, lately I've really been interested in screenwriting. Although MCM is a great field, it's not for me. I'm looking into taking Screenwriting I in the literary arts department next semester and seeing if Litarts could be a possible concentration. Everything is up in the air but lately I've been wondering if I should have gone to a school more well connected in this area such as USC or if pursuing an MFA is worth it/better than majoring in "screenwriting" for undergrad. I'm confused and was wondering if anyone had any advice or knew more about screenwriting within Brown. </p>
<p>Did you look into taking classes at RISD? They have a film program. Try to contact the head of the program. I’m sure they can offer you sound advice. Good luck.</p>
<p>I have several friends who have tried to break into screen writing. The one who had a small bit of success had to volunteer for PA and writing assistant jobs for no pay and a lot of humiliation (and even those were hard to get). Screenwriting is just a format to convey direction and dialogue. Any writer can do it. Get your degree, practicing the craft of writing along the way. Then after graduation go to Hollywood and join the volunteer force. GL</p>
<p>You are at a great school. My advice is to do a lot of reading, analyzing and most important, writing. Learn about story structure, character, motivation, theme and tone. Take as many creative writing courses as you can. Then, if you are serious about making it as a screenwriter, take courses in writing the screenplay. If spending another $180K is not a problem, several universities offer great MFAs, including AFI, Columbia, USC and more. If you are more indie and self-starting, you can take amazing screenwriting classes at UCLA Extension where you will get all the networking, practical tips as well as workshopping feedback. At this point, transferring to a new university, like USC, to study screenwriting will mean starting over as their BFA is a 4 year program, even if you are coming in with credits. And it is extremely difficult to gain admission. Other schools may be more flexible.</p>